Beguile: meaning, definitions and examples

This term is often used in a somewhat poetic or romantic context, suggesting charm or enchantment, but can also imply deception.

• She tried to beguile him with her soothing voice.
• The magician beguiled the audience with his fascinating tricks.

This word is used in a general sense when someone is intentionally being dishonest or misleading others. It has a negative connotation.

• He deceived his friends by hiding the truth.
• The company was accused of deceiving its customers about the product's safety.

This term is often used in playful or lighthearted situations, but can also imply deception, sometimes with a negative connotation.

• The children loved to trick each other on Halloween.
• He tricked his opponent with a clever move in the game.

This word is typically used when someone provides false or misleading information, causing others to have incorrect understanding or beliefs.

• The sign misled many tourists into taking the wrong path.
• He misled her about his financial situation.

This term is often used in situations where someone is being tricked or duped through cleverness or cunning. It has a negative connotation.

• The salesman hoodwinked the old man into buying an expensive car.
• They were hoodwinked by the fake charity.

Used when someone is being charmed or tricked in a cunning or deceptive manner, often with negative connotations.

• She managed to beguile him into giving her all his money.
• The magician’s performance was meant to beguile the audience.

Used when someone makes others like them or feel at ease through pleasing behavior or manner, generally positive.

• His wit and humor never fail to charm people.
• She charmed her way into everyone's hearts with her kindness.

Appropriate when someone or something holds your attention completely, in a very positive way.

• The dancer's grace was enough to captivate the entire audience.
• He was captivated by the intricacies of the artwork.

Best used to describe a magical or spellbinding allure, often in a mystical or fairy-tale context.

• The forest seemed to enchant all who wandered through it.
• The storyteller's words were enough to enchant the children.

Used when something arouses deep interest or attention, generally in a neutral or positive sense.

• The scientist's lecture on space travel fascinated the students.
• She was fascinated by the complex patterns in the stained glass.